Preparing for the Future

Over the past week, colleagues from Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, South Sudan and Togo joined the team in Switzerland for the annual VSF-Suisse Senior Management Meeting.

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Möschberg, overlooking rolling hills and the Alps, the meeting offered a valuable opportunity to step away from day-to-day operations and focus on the future of our organisation. Between workshops, discussions and planning sessions, colleagues exchanged ideas over meals, on the terrace and during walks through the surrounding countryside. It was a week of learning, reflection and connection.

Preparing VSF-Suisse for the Future

As the world around us changes, so does the environment in which we work. Throughout the week, we explored how VSF-Suisse can continue to strengthen its impact in increasingly complex contexts.

A major focus was business development. Together, we reflected on how to position VSF-Suisse for the future by strengthening partnerships, adapting to evolving donor expectations and taking a more strategic approach to the way we develop, communicate and scale our solutions.

One theme emerged repeatedly throughout the discussions: funders increasingly want to understand not only what organisations do, but what difference their work makes. Evidence of impact, resilience, sustainability and scalability is becoming ever more important. For VSF-Suisse, this means continuing to demonstrate how our work contributes to lasting change while staying true to our mission and values.

Local Leadership at the Centre

Another key topic was localisation. During a lively Fishbowl discussion, colleagues reflected on what locally led development means for VSF-Suisse and how our decentralised structure can continue to evolve.

Rather than seeing localisation as a challenge to overcome, many participants viewed it as an opportunity to further strengthen local ownership, leadership and decision-making. The discussion highlighted the importance of building on the strengths of our country offices while ensuring that the headquarters continues to enable, support and connect.

One question sparked particularly thoughtful reflections:

“If we woke up tomorrow and all the organisational challenges we discussed had been solved, what would VSF-Suisse look like?”

While the answers differed, many shared a common vision: strong country offices, shared values and close collaboration across the organisation.

The programme also covered topics such as gender equality and inclusion, safeguarding, communication, finance and governance. Important questions were openly discussed and examined from different perspectives. At the same time, the atmosphere throughout the week remained remarkably positive. The meeting room was frequently filled with laughter, reflecting the trust, openness and strong relationships that connect our teams across countries and continents.

Learning Beyond the Meeting Room

Not all learning happened around the conference table.

Visits to Swiss farms and a veterinary practice offered new perspectives on animal health and agriculture. One unexpected highlight was a robotic milking system, which sparked discussions on innovation, efficiency and the future of farming.

On Thursday, participants hiked through the Bernese countryside to the Institute of Virology and Immunology (IVI). Discussions continued there around emerging infectious diseases, vaccine development and the challenges facing animal and public health systems in an increasingly interconnected world.

Looking Ahead

The Senior Management Meeting is much more than an annual gathering. It is a space to learn from one another, challenge assumptions, strengthen relationships and shape the future of VSF-Suisse together.

The week ended with a sense of optimism and shared purpose. As one colleague wrote in their key takeaway:

“There are challenges, but we are aware and getting prepared.”

Together, we continue building a stronger, more resilient and future-ready VSF-Suisse.

Bringing VSF-Suisse to Life

The week concluded with the VSF-Suisse Annual General Meeting in Bern, followed by our partner and donor event “Experience VSF”. Through a series of interactive experience stations, guests stepped into the shoes of people from our project regions and gained first-hand insight into how animal health contributes to food security, sustainable livelihoods and stronger resilience.